Almeria vs. Rayo Vallecano (Friday, 6.30pm)
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The opening match of the 2023-24 La Liga campaign will take place at Power Horse Stadium on Friday evening, with Almeria welcoming Rayo Vallecano.
Almeria only just survived relegation from Spain's top flight last term, finishing 17th in the table, one point above the bottom three, while Rayo were 11th, collecting 49 points during a successful campaign.
We say: Almeria 1-1 Rayo Vallecano
Almeria actually won 3-1 in the corresponding match last season, while Rayo recorded a 2-0 victory in their clash in Madrid. We are expecting this to be a cagey affair on the opening night of the new campaign and have therefore had to settle on a low-scoring draw at Power Horse Stadium.
> Click here to read our full preview for this match
Sevilla vs. Valencia (Friday, 9.00pm)
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There is a standout fixture on the opening matchday of the 2023-24 La Liga campaign, with Sevilla welcoming Valencia to Estadio Ramon for what should be a fascinating affair.
Both teams desperately underachieved in La Liga last season, with Sevilla ending the season down in 12th position, while Valencia were 16th, only just surviving relegation to the second tier of Spanish football.
We say: Sevilla 2-1 Valencia
Two of the last three league meetings between these two sides have finished level, while Sevilla are unbeaten against Valencia in Spain's top light since March 2019. We came close to backing a draw here, but Sevilla should be winning this type of match at Estadio Ramon considering their quality, so a home success is being predicted.
> Click here to read our full preview for this match
Barney Corkhill
